Brookfield, CT. (June 8, 2004) – Trident announces FabricFastTM ink, a new pigmented water-based ink for Epson textile inkjet printers. FabricFast revolutionizes designing, sampling, and short run textile printing by offering digital ink jet print capability on a wide range of fabrics – including cotton. The specially formulated ink provides the soft hand of dye-based inks with the wash fastness and light fastness of pigmented inks, all in an ecologically friendly water-base.

FabricFast can be used in any color textile digital printer using the Epson piezoelectric inkjet printhead. These include Mimaki, Roland, Mutoh, and Stork printers. It can be used on cotton, cotton / polyester, nylon, rayon & silk with simplified heat fixation of 150 °C for 2.5 minutes.

This new product was developed by ink experts at Trident working in cooperation with the North Carolina State University Department of Textile Chemistry.

“FabricFast ink gives designers and textile producers a simplified, cost-effective method of printing fabric designs, samples and short runs,” explains Dr. Deverakonda Sarma, Ink Development Manager. Sarma holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and has brought his extensive knowledge of the business and science of textile printing to Trident’s development and launch of FabricFast Ink.

“This is a pigmented water-based ink. Unlike dye-based inks, it does not require the use of expensive steamers to bind inks to the fabric. FabricFast pigmented inks have the hand of dye-based inks, but with considerably greater light fastness. The inks enable customers to achieve a complete color gamut matching the colors that will ultimately be used in production.“

Price-competitive, these inks are available from major suppliers worldwide. For a list of suppliers or for more information on FabricFast please call Steve Liker at (203) 740-9333 ext. 3037 or write sliker@trident-itw.com.

Trident, An ITW company, has been developing ink jet printheads and inks for over 15 years. Trident specializes in creating inks and ink delivery systems customized to commercial and industrial applications.

About Trident
Trident is a leading provider of piezoelectric impulse inkjet printheads and inks to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs). Trident products are used in a variety of applications that require high-quality, high-speed, rugged printing equipment coupled with the ability to change the text, graphics or bar code information easily and frequently.